Plate sensing means in address printing machines



Nov. 13, 1956 J. T. EHRHARD 2,770,186

PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES thmes T.

@M SLM ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 J. T. EHRHARD 2,770,186

PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 4, 1953 10 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOR BY Mw M ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 J. T. EHRHARD PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 4. 1955 j INVENTOR Jmes ZI rard ATTORNEYS NOV- 13, 1956 ,1. T. EHRHARD 2,770,186

PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 4,4 1953 NNN INVENTOR James 7l E70-12am' m@ ,M 4M

ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 J. T. EHRHARD PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES l0 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 4, 1955 INVENTOR Jameslllzrlzard mm. ww.

ATTIQRNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 J. T. EHRHARD PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 4, 1953 INVENTOR James ZE'rard ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 J. T. EHRHARD PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed June 4, 1955 u lwn ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 T. EHRHARD PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed June 4, 1953 Hl" lilnmlll ummm w INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 J. T. EHRHAR 2,770,186

PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 4, 1953 10" Sheets-Sheet 9 -466 T 464 482 Y la@ j 48! Q.. 487 n f 485 E O- @also I Vl |,v ii INVENTOR lO F 477 465 l BY l ffm MM ATTORNEYS Nov. 13, 1956 J. T. EHRHARD 2,770,186

PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 4, 1955 10 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR James II Eurd BY MAL-wi ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 2,770,186 PLATE SENSING MEANS IN ADDRESS PRINTING MACHINES James T. Ehrhard, Arlington, Va.

Application June 4, 1953, Serial No. 359,519

20 Claims. (Cl. 101--57) This invention relates vgenerally to .an -address printing machine. More specifically the invention relates to an addressing machine having an improved address plate :sensing device incorporated rthereinto to effectively read the indicia of each plate as it passes through the machine and control the operation of the machine -to perform the necessary Ifunction with each plate in accordance with the indicia of the plate.

Address printing machines presently 4available are extremely limited in their performance both as to speed of operation and as to flexibility in handling and utilizing the address plates. Thus the presently available machines are generally constructed for a specific operation to be performed with the plate and are not adaptable to enable the performance -of a plurality of operations by the single machine.

Many of these addressing machines utilize address plates having notches, tabs or apertures spaced along the edge of each plate at particular locations to convey certain specified information regardin-g the plate. Such machines utilize mechanical sensing means which require that the plate be moved 4and halted momentarily to permit reading of the notches, tabs or apertures of the plate to determine the information set forth by the particular location 'of the indicating notches at cetera. Then in Ithese presently available machines, in the case of subscription mailing operations, the plate is moved through the machine to either be printed at a printing `station or sorted at the end of the machine into either vthe regular continuing addressee les or into tiles of address plates representing the addressees whose subscriptions have expired.

Accordingly it is a principal object of this invention to provide a printing machine which is capable of producing a multiplicity of seperate operations within the machine as dictated by the information carried by printing plates 'and which is capable of great yflexibility in manipulating the machine to perform the desired operations with the various plates.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved sensing means incorporated into an address printing machine which will enable the machine to be operated at high speeds lwhile still obtaining accurate operation of printing yand sorting with the address plates.

An additional object of this invention is to provide `a printing machine which is capable of high-speed operation in sensing data carried by a printing plate while the plate is moving through the machine and Iutilizing such data in controlling the use made of such plate as it moves through the machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a printing machine having an improved printing mechanism timed with the feed of material to =be printed and movement of individual printing plates to the printing mechanism to effect 'superior printed results.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an address printing machine utilizing individual :address printing plates having an improved material feeding device to eiect an accurate feed of material timed .to cooperate with the printing performed with said address printing plates A 'further object of this invention is to provide a printing machine utilizing separate printing plates movable successively to a printing station in said machine and 'having an improved feed for strip material to be printed and severing means -tol separate the material between the matter printed by successive plates.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a printing machine utilizing separate printing plates carrying distinguishing d-ata thereon wherein photoelectric means are utilized in discerning said data from each plate successively as such plate moves through said machine, and electric circuits controlled by the photoelectric means to apply the data as the plate moves through the machine `to mechanisms to effect printing or sorting of each plate.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an address printing machine having a photoelectric sensing means for determining the distinguishing indicia carried by each address plate as the plates move successively past the sensing station, and 4a multiposition switch timed to the movement of each plate past the sensing station to connect successive circuits to indicate the relative position of each indicia along the length of each plate.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, which Will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in Ithe combination and -arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit `of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a front View of the address printing machine iof this invention with portions shown in section to more clearly illustrate various details of the machine.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the address printing machine of this invention.

Figure 3 is a plan View with the address plate magazine and photocell having been removed, illustrating the sensing station and rotary multiposition switch :at the right end of the machine lshown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is la sectional View of the rotary multiposition switch taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Figure 4.

`Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of the -sensing station and showing the mechanism for moving the address plate from the address plate magazine.

Figure 8 is a Isectional view taken on line ISQ? of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on -line 9 9 of Figure 7.

Figure l0 is a perspective view of a typical address printing plate of the type utilized in the printing machine of -this invention.

Figure 1l is a sectional view taken on line L1- 11 of Figure 9.

yFigure l2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the material feeding mechanism used with one of the printing heads of Ithe printing machine of this invention.

Figure 13 is a Isectional view taken on line 13-13 of Figure l2.

Figure 14 is a view taken on line 14-14 of Figure l2, illustrating the clutch mechanism utilized in the paper feed to two of the printing heads of this printing machine.

Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 15-15 of Figure 16, showing one section of the delay mechanism utilized in retaining data obtained at the sensing station while the printing plate moves to the proper point for use.

Figure 16 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 16-16 of Figure l5.

Figure 17 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 17-17 of Figure 15.

Figure 18 is a detailed view itaken on line 18-18 of Figure 17.

lFigure 19 is a schematic wiring diagram generally illustrating the operation of the sensing means and the control circuits for conveying the data received from the address plate to the delay mechanism of Figures 15 through 18.

In the specific embodiment illustrated on the accompanying drawings, a metallic address plate P of the form illustrated in Figure 10 is used. This plate is rectangular in shape and carries on one face thereof in the form of raised or embossed letters, the name, address and other identifying letters and/or numerals to be printed by use of the plate While running it through the addressing machine.

For many years metallic address plates have been used in expediting the mailing and circularizing of a wide variety of literature and advertising to a specified list of addresses. For example, in mailing a single issue of some of the more widely known monthly magazines, over a million separate address plates will be run through the addressing machine to transfer the name, address and other information on each of the plates to the tab which is secured to the magazine or its wrapper. At the same time, a continuous printed list is made with the plates by the mailing facility to serve as a record of the addressees who have been mailed particular issues of the magazine.

Since the number of address plates will vary from month to month in sending out a monthly magazine, and likewise since the same addressees will not receive the magazine each month, it is extremely important in the operation of an addressing machine that means be pro.- vided to effectively sort the large number of individual address plates, and control the operation of the printing to insure that the proper plates will be printed. Thus those plates for addressees whose subscriptions expire must be separated. Also many special situations arise where it becomes desirable to print a selected group of addressees from the regular subscription lists, as when those addressees whose subscription will expire in several months are to be notified in advance of such expiration.

In order that each address plate shall carry its own information regarding the characteristics of each individuals subscription or characteristics for distinguishing different mailing lists, the metal plates P as shown in Figure l are provided with V-shaped notches at specified spaced positions along one longitudinal edge of the plate. On any one address plate there may be, for example, space for approximately twenty-four notches along the edge of such plate. Each notch location on the edge of a plate may be adopted to indicate a certain specified piece of information regarding the addressee whose name, et cetera, appears on the surface of the plate. Thus as an example, the first twelve notch positions may be adopted to indicate the twelve months of the year. The appropriate one of these twelve locations will be notched on an addressees plate to indicate the month in which the addressees subscription expires. The next five notch positions along the edge of the plate may be adopted to designate five separate years, and there again the appropriate position will be notched to indicate the year in which the addressees subscription expires. It will readily be appreciated that the remaining notches may be adopted to designate certain special information regarding the addressee whose name and address is embossed on the surface of the particular plate. Likewise, if desired, cornbinations of the twenty-four notches may be adopted to indicate desired information regarding the addressee of the plate. It will be readily appreciated that the number of notches, i. e., twenty-four, described above, is merely exemplary and in no way limiting as to the scope of the invention, since any reasonable number which can be accommodated on the printing devices may be adopted.

In utilizing such address plates in an address printing machine, stacks of such plates are fed to the machine and moved successively through the machine to print the required address tabs and addressee record and be sorted at the end of the machine into groups of addressees whose subscriptions are to continue and addressees whose subscriptions expire.

It will be clear from the explanation above that the use made of each plate P in running through the printing machine can be controlled by the location of the notches along the edge of the particular plate. Thus when a stack of address plates are supplied to an addressing machine, the plate is initially moved to a sensing station wherein means are provided for determining the relative location of the notches along the edge of the plate and this information or data is transmitted through appropriate mechanisms of the machine so that the particular plate will be utilized within the machine according to the information conveyed by the relative location of the notches between the ends of the plate.

Following the sensing of the notch location on each plate, the plate is moved through the machine past the various printing stations and to the collecting rack at the end of the machine where the plates are sorted into those whose subscriptions are to continue and those whose subscriptions are to be terminated for some reason or another.

With the above description set forth as background, a specific disclosure of the apparatus of this invention will be given hereinafter. It will be readily appreciated that the specific yaddress plate illustrated on the drawings is merely exemplary. Accordingly, any suitable printing plate having notches, tabs, apertures or other identifying media wherein the relative locations of the media is adopted to convey specified information distinguishing the plate, may be used within the contemplation of this invention. Likewise any number of such media or combinations thereof may be adopted to convey the desired information.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate, respectively, front and end views of the overall printing machine. A main frame 1 serves as a means for supporting the various assemblies and mechanisms of the complete machine which cooperate in performing the addressing operations.

A main drive shaft 2 is journaled in the opposite sides of the frame 1 and is provided with suitable means for applying power thereto, such as pulley 3. Any suitable motor such as an electric motor (not shown) may be mounted at the base of the frame 1 and coupled to the pulley 3 so as to rotate the drive shaft 2 at the proper desired speed.

The outer end of drive shaft 2 has mounted thereon a disc 4 carrying eccentrically thereon a pin 5. An adjustable connecting rod 6 connects the pin 5 with a bell crank 7 journaled on a shaft extending horizontally from the outer side of the frame 1. The opposite end of the bell crank 7 is pivotally connected by a link 8 to a rack 9 slidably mounted in guides 10 secured to the side of the frame 1. It will thus be seen that rotation of the main drive shaft 2 by the motor means (not shown) will effect reciprocation of the rack 9 in the guides 10.

A shaft 11 mounted in bearings 12 secured to the side of the frame 1 has secured thereto at one end a gear seetion 13 engaged with the teeth of the rack 9. The opposite end of shaft 11 has a similar gear section 14 keyed thereto so that reciprocation of the rack 9 will effect back and forth movement of the gear sections 13 and 1 4 through the arc of their gear teeth. The gear Section 14 engages a rack 15 to which is secured the push rails which, as will be explained hereinafter, effect stepped movement of the individual address printing plates P through the addressing machine.

An address plate magazine 20 is mounted above the bed or plane of travel of the printing plates through the machine. A pair of channels form this magazine and engage the ends of a stack of printing plates P to retain the stack in position above the bed of the machine. The pusher mechanism for removing the plates P successively from the bottom of the stack is located immediately beneath the lower end of the magazine 20. This mechanism comprises a pair of push rails 25 and 26 which are keyed to and thereby moved by the rack 15. These rails carry the individual push pawls 27 which are appropriately pivoted to the opposite sides of the rails 25 and 26 at properly spaced points, so that reciprocation of the rails 25 and 26 by the rack 15 will insure stepped movement of the address plates P through the machine in properly spaced relation. The pawls 27 are biased by springs 28 to retain the pawls in their upper position for engagement with the rear end corners of the printing plates in pushing such plates through the machine. Pins 29 are provided to extend horizontally from the inner faces of the rails 25 and 26 positioned to limit the possible `downward movement of the outer ends of the pawls 27.

In operation of the machine with the rails 25 and 26 reciprocated in timed relation to the speed of the machine, the push pawls 27 in moving forward or to the right as viewed in Figure 7, engage the end corners of a plate and move such plate forward through the machine. On the return stroke of the pawls 27 carried by the rails 25 and 26, the pawls will ride beneath the surface of the following printing plate and be urged upwardly by springs 28 after passing under such plate in readiness to engage the rear end corners of the following plate.

The push pawls 27, however, do not effect removal of the printing plates from the magazine 20. For this purpose separate push sections 30 are secured to the inner opposed faces of the rails 25 and 26. These sections 30 are provided with notched leading edges to engage the rear corners of a plate in the magazine 20 on forward movement of the rails 25 and 26. Further, these sections have a horizontal edge portion following the notched leading edge, such portion serving to support the remaining plates in the stack in magazine 20 during the period that a plate is being removed from the stack by forward movement of the rails 25 and 26 carrying the sections 30. It will be apparent that once the sections 30 have moved a plate from the bottom of the stack in magazine 20 on return movement of the rails 25 and 26, the spring biased pawls 27 will move to engage the end of the plate which has just been removed from the magazine.

In the specific embodiment of this invention, a pair of Vpush rails 25 and 26 are provided to carry push pawls 27 to engage the rear end corners of the printing plate. It is not absolutely necessary, however, to provide a pair of rails 25 to move the plates through the machine. In the embodiment shown, the rail 26 extends only for a sufficient length of the machine to assist in pushing the plate past `the sensing station where the location of the edge notches on the plate will be read. It has been found that in high-speed operation of the machine, the provision of a pair of push rails at this particular location insures more accurate movement of the plate past the sensing station and thereby insures more accurate reading of the notch locations. The push rail 25 extends throughout the full length of the machine and has spring biased push pawls 27 pivotally mounted at appropriately spaced positions along a substantial portion of the length of the push rail to move the plates successively from the magazine to the appropriate collecting rack.

As the individual address printing plates P are moved through the machine by -reciprocation of the pushing rails 25 and 26, such plates are urged by spring members 33 and 34 against horizontal support strip 35 which engages the central underside of the plates. Likewise the longitudinal edges of the plates are guided by suitable guiding strips 36 and 37 mounted in spaced parallel relation so as to receive the width of the plate therebetween.

To insure accurate positioning of the individual printing plates at the sensing station, the guiding strip 37 has a section 38 movable inwardly toward the path of the plates at the general location of the sensing station. Section 38 is urged inwardly by springs 39 and limited in its inward movement by a pin 40 extending through an elongated slot within the section 38. Thus at the sensing station the section 38 will urge each plate P against the side of the opposite guide strip 36 and insure very smooth and accurate movement of the plate through this portion of the machine. Repeated reciprocations of the rack 15 .and the push rails 25 and 26 carried thereby eects movement of each plate P from 4the stack in magazine 20 past the sensing station of the machine beneath, successively, the three printing stations A, B and C and thence to the sorting stations for collecting the plates.

At the collecting point the plates are alternatively sorted into two groups, one containing those prints which are to be retained in the active files of the mailing list and the other containing those plates of addressees whose subscriptions expire and thus are to be placed in an inactive collection of address plates. It will be recognized that the information indicated by the relative notch locations on the edge of a plate will be used in determining the disposition to be made of that particular plate. Thus the mechanism at the sensing station will determine from the notch locations whether the plate is to be kept in the active tiles or collected with those plates of inactive addressees, and when the plate reaches the sorting stations it will be disposed of in accordance with the information gleaned from the plate at the sensing station.

The address printing machine of the embodiment shown is provided with two collecting racks, one identified as R for the regular or :active address printing plates, and the other parallel thereto identied as E, for the expired plates or plates of addressees Whose subscriptions are to expire. The operation of the mechanism which effects sorting of the successive plates into the two collecting racks R and E will be described in detail in the description of the overall oper-ation of the machine as hereinafter set forth.

In the printing machine of this invention three individual printing stations, A, B and C, are mounted above the bed of the machine. Each of these printing stations has a printing platen 50 with an integral rod slidably mounted in `a guide 51 and driven by actuating rod 52. Springs 53 are provided between the platen 50 and guide 51 to normally retain the platen in its raised position above the material to be printed. A spring 54 is coupled with the actuating rod 52 to retain it raised above the rod integral with platen 50. A stop 55 is secured to engage the upper end of the actuating rod 52 and limit the uppermost position of the actuating rod. A solenoid coil 56 is operatively associated with the actuating rod 52 to eifect on energization the downward movement of the actuating rod and thereby cause printing by driving the platen 50 into cooperation with the address plate positioned beneath the platen. The timing for energization of the respective solenoid coils 56 for the three printing stations A, B and C will be described with the description of the overall operation set forth hereinafter.

As shown in Figure l, the printing stations A and B are provided with suitable inking ribbons which pass between the plates moved along the bed of the machine and the strip material which is to be printed. On energization of the solenoid coil 56 for stations A and/ or B, the respective platen 50, on downward movement, will drive the strip material to be printed into contact with the respective ribbon supported on the raised lettering of the printing plate centered below the platen to effect printing of such plate lettering on the strip material.

In the specific embodiment illustrated as shown in Figure l, an offset printing technique is adopted in performing the printing of the material passing beneath the platen 50 of this printing station C. Thus at this printing station the material to be printed is driven into engagement with the printing plate by the platen 50, which address plate has previously been inked by one or both of the inking ribbons used with the printing stations A and/ or B. With this particular set up it is contemplated that each plate will be printed at one or both of the preceding printing stations A and B, so that the plate will have enough residual ink on its lettering to enable printing at station C without an inking ribbon. It will be readily appreciated, however, that station C may also be provided with an inking ribbon if desired.

In the address printing machine embodiment shown, the three printing stations A, B and C are adapted to perform the printing operation on two different types of material for three different distinct proposed uses. Thus at station A, 3X5 cards are printed on stiff strip material with the various printing plates under control of the data indicated by the relative positioning of notches along the edges of the plates. At Station B a strip of paper material is printed with the designated printing plates with every space on the strip being utilized for an address label and the continuous strip being cut after every twenty addresses. The station C utilizes a strip of paper material similar to that used at station B printed with the designated printing plates and rerolled onto a spindle after printing for use by appropriate label applying machines in cutting the rolled strip material into labels having a single address thereon and applying the labels to the article to be mailed.

Referring specifically to the printing of the 3x5 cards at printing station A, it will be seen that a roll of material 60 is mounted on a roll holder 61 secured to the rear of frame 1. This material, having a width of five inches, is aligned with the printing position of station A and is fed up to the material feeding mechanism and thence to the printing station. The material 60 is unwound from the roll to run up and over a guiding pin 62 rearwardly of the printing station A. A retarding spring 63 presses the material 60 against the guiding pin 62 to restrict forward feed of the material 60.

As shown in Figures l2 and 13, the material feeding mechanism for station A consists of a reciprocating carriage 64 having a platform 65 on which the material 60 is supported. The carriage 64 is provided with wheels 66 which are guided in tracks 67 mounted on the rear of the main frame 1 of the machine in spaced parallel relation. The carriage 64 is caused to reciprocate in the tracks 67 by a link 68 pivotally connected between the underside of platform 65 and a crank 69 which is secured to a shaft 70 appropriately journalcd in bearings mounted in the main frame 1.

Referring specifically to Figure 2, a crank 71 is mounted on the outer end of the shaft 70 and a link 72 is pivotally conected between the outer end of the crank 71 and a crank 73 connected so as to move with the bell crank 7. Thus the oscillating movement of the bell crank 7 upon rotation of main shaft 2 will transmit through the linkage above described a reciprocating motion to the carriage 64 guided in the tracks 67.

A knurled roller 75 is eccentrically mounted on a shaft 76 joumaled in the carriage 64 to engage the upper surface of the material 60, pressing such material against the platform 65 and thus clamping the material to move with the carriage 64 upon the forward movement of such carriage. It will be clear that by clamping the material to move with the carriage 64, the material 60 will be carried on forward carriage movement to successively feed fresh material to be printed beneath the platen 50 for each actuation of the printing station A.

To operate the knurled roller 75 to engage or disengage the material 60, a pair of arms 77 are secured to the outer ends of the roller 75 as by screws 78. A link 79 pivotally interconnects the outer ends of the arms 77 with the core of a solenoid 80. A spring 81 urges the arms 77 and the knurled roller 75 to clamp the material 60 for feed of such material. However, upon energization of the solenoid 80, the arms 77 will cause the roller 75 to be partially rotated, thereby disengaging the roller from the material and allowing the carriage to reciprocate in the tracks 67 without feed of the material.

It will be apparent that each oscillation of bell crank 7 will effect through the elements described, reciprocation of the push rail 25 to move a printing plate to the printing station A and reciprocation of carriage 64 to feed fresh material to the printing station A to be printed by the plate. To feed each three-inch fresh section of material 60 to the printing station A, the solenoid 80 is deenergized on forward movement of carriage 64 to clamp material 60 and feed such material to the station. On the return movement of carriage 64, the solenoid is energized to disengage roller 75 and prevent the material which has just been fed from being retracted from beneath the platen 50 of printing station A. To effect this alternate energization of solenoid 80, a cam wheel 82 mounted to rotate with disc 4 and shaft 2 engages the actuating lever of a switch 83. The cam wheel and switch are arranged so that immediately after a printing operation at station A as the carriage 64 starts its forward movement, the switch 83 will be opened, deenergizing solenoid 80 and effecting feed of a fresh section of material 60 for the succeeding printing operation. As will be explained in detail hereinafter, when the machine is set up so that certain printing plates are not printed at station A, control of solenoid 80 by switch 83 as these specified plates pass will be prevented by a relay in the solenoid energizing circuit which by-passes alternately actuated switch 83 and maintains solenoid 80 continuously energized. This relay is controlled by switches in the delay mechanism. The specific timing and energization of the solenoid 80 will be described in the overall description of the operation given hereinafter.

After cach successive printing operation of the station A, the material 60 will be fed forward to present a clean printing surface for the next printing actuation. After leaving the printing station A, the material runs forward out of the machine beneath a reciprocating cutting knife indicated generally at 85. This knife is actuated by a crank 86 suitably connected to a solenoid 88 to cut the material 60. As each three inches of material 60 is fed by operation of the carriage 64, the cutting knife will cut off the outermost three inches to form a 3x5 card having a single name and address printed thereon. These cards are collected in a compartment 87 located beneath and in front of the cutting knife 85.

In the printing performed at printing stations B and C, a strip of paper material is intermittently fed beneath the platen 50. The strip paper 90 for these two printing stations is fed from a supply roll (not shown) to rollers 91 mounted in bearing blocks 92 which are urged upwardly by supporting springs 93. Thus the rollers 91 press the paper upwardly into engagement with feeding rolls 94. The feeding rolls 94 are journaled on a shaft 95 which is rotatably mounted in the main frame 1 and intermittently driven by a pawl and ratchet mechanism (not shown) interposed between the bell crank 7 and the outer end of shaft 95. Thus oscillation of bell crank 7 effects stepped rotation of shaft 95. Retarding brakes 96 are rigidly secured so as to cooperate with the feeding rolls 94 to restrict the turning of such rolls in feeding the paper 90.

It will be readily recognized that under control of the notches located along the edge of each address printing plate, each of the plates may not be caused to be printed at each of the three printing stations A, B and C. Thus one or another of the printing stations may remain idle while one or more plates move beneath its platen 50 while passing through the machine. In printing the strip material, it is desirable that each space on the material contain a name and address from one of the plates. If the material were continuously fed through the machine in the absence of actuation of the printing head, blank spaces would appear on the strip material. Such a result is not to be desired. Accordingly, at printing station A the solenoid 80 is continuously energized to prevent the material 60 from being fed when no printing has taken place at the printing station A.

Similarly means are provided in coupling the feeding rolls 94 for stations B and C to insure that the paper 90 will not be fed when a printing action has not taken place at the respective printing station. To effect this desired operation, a ring 97 is secured to rotate with the shaft 95. This ring is provided with lugs 98 which engage with recesses in ring 99 slidably mounted on the shaft 95. The adjacent ends of ring 99 and feed roll 94 are provided with cooperating clutch teeth 100. When these teeth are in engagement, the ring 97 driving ring 99 will transmit rotation to the feeding roll 94.

To disengage the clutch teeth 100, an annular groove 101 is formed in the outer surface of the ring 99. One end of a pivotally mounted lever 102 cooperates with the groove 101 to permit axial movement of the ring 99 so as to disengage the clutch teeth 100. Springs 103 are connected to the respective levers 102 so as to normally urge the clutch teeth 100 into driving engagement. Adjustable links 104 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the levers 102 to connect such levers respectively with actuating solenoid 105 for printing station B and 106 for printing station C.

It will be seen that energization of the respective solenoids 105 and 106 will effect disengagement of the clutch teeth 100 and thus prevent transmission of the driving force of shaft 95 to the feeding rolls 94. Further, upon energizing one or both of these solenoids, a locking pin 107 secured to each lever 102 will move into engagement with radial slots 108 formed in the periphery of the feeding rolls 94. Thus when one of the solenoids is energized not only will the clutch teeth 100 be disengaged, but the locking pin 107 engaging with a radial slot 108 on the feeding roll 94 Will prevent any undesired movement of the feeding roll 94.

The timing and energization of the solenoids 105 and 106 to control the feed of paper 90 for printing stations B and C, respectively, will be described in detail in the overall description of the operation set forth hereinafter.

As noted above, the printed strip paper 90 fed from printing station B will be moved to a cutting knife (not shown) which, after every twenty printings at such station, will cut the strip paper into individual strips having a length corresponding to twenty address plate printings. Such strips after cutting will be collected in a bin 110 shown on Figure 2. The material as printed at station C is fed forward and wound onto a reel 111 driven by a belt means 112 connected to suitable driving pulleys (not shown). To properly draw the material fed from the printing station A, a tensioning roller 113 mounted on a rod 114 driven by a belt 115 is positioned forwardly of the printing station. The belt 115 is driven by a pulley 116 mounted on the main drive shaft 2.

An important and essential feature of this invention is the effective application of photoelectric sensing means used for discerning the location of the notches carried along the edge of each of the printing plates. As described hereinabove, the specific location of these notches is used in controlling the operation of the machine to perform the printing or sorting of the plates as they pass through the addressing machine. Since the sensing operation to be performed on each of the plates is a basic and essential part of obtaining effective operation of the machine as a whole, it becomes extremely important, particularly under high speed operation, to have an accurate and effective sensing operation of the notch locations to dictate to the machine the operations to be carried out with each particular printing plate.

Beneath the bed or path of movement of the address printing plates P from the magazine 20 to the collecting racks R and E, a light source L is secured to the side of the main frame 1 so as to direct rays of light upwardly toward the path traversed by the printing plates. This light source is provided with a lens so as to concentrate and direct the rays of light into a beam at the point of passage of the printing plates P along the bed of the machine. These rays of light from the light source L in the absence of a plate positioned on the bed of the machine above the light source will pass through the space normally occupied by the edge of a plate upwardly to the housing H which contains the detecting photoelectric cell.

A pair of adjustably mounted plates 120 and 121 are secured to the upper surface of the guide 37 above the path of the address plate to form the light into a V-shaped beam. The diagonal edge 122 of the plate 121 is effective upon movement of an address printing plate P through the sensing station to insure that as a V-shaped notch in the edge of the plate P moves past the diagonal edge 122, a sharp pulse of light will be transmitted to the photoelectric cell in housing H. Since the plate in normal operation of the printing machine will move swiftly through the sensing station, it is desirable that a pulse of clear-cut proportions be transmitted to the photoelectric cell. It has been found that by properly angling the diagonal edge 122 of plate 121 to correspond with the usual angle of an edge of a V-shaped notch in the address plate P, the instant the edge of the notch in the plate P passes the edge 122, an effective usable light pulse will be sent to the photoelectric cell. Although the use of plates 120 and 121 may be desirable with certain less sensitive receiving circuits and accurate notch size and positioning, it has been found that a simple slotted plate may be substituted where more sensitive and quickly responsive electronic circuits are employed in intepreting the electric pulses sent by the cell when it receives the light pulse from a notch along the edge of a plate.

In sensing the location of the notches along the edge of a particular address plate, a photoelectric cell must receive pulses of light from the light source L for each notch along the edge of the plate. However, in the absence of a plate moving through the sensing station, or during the space between the plates, the photoelectric cell should not receive light from the light source L. Accordingly, a suitable shutter mechanism is provided Within the photoelectric cell housing H to open and close the aperture admitting light to the housing. The shutter mechanism is controlled by a trigger connected to the shutter mechanism and extending through an opening 131 in the supporting strip 35 so as to be engaged by the end of an address printing plate P as it moves along the bed of the machine. Thus as plate P engages the trigger 130, the shutter mechanism in the housing H is opened, and as the end of the plate passes from beneath the trigger 30, the trigger will allow the shutter to close to prevent light from entering the housing H during the space between successive printing plates.

Prior attempts to develop a sensing means suitable for reading the notch locations along the edge of the address plates have resulted in the adoption of sensing devices which require that the plate be momentarily stopped during its movement through the machine from the supply magazine to the final collecting racks. Obviously, if the speed of operation of the machine increases, time available for momentarily stopping the plate at the sensing station is proportionately reduced. In fact, in the higher speeds of operation it is impossible to obtain accurate and eicient reading of the successive address plates by attempting to momentarily stop the plate to perform the reading at a location along the path of travel of the address plate.

The sensing means of this invention utilizes a photoelectric cell which receives light pulses from a light source as the notches along the edge of a plate pass between the cell and the light source. Thus in the sensing means of this invention the individual address plates are sensed or read as they move between the light source and the photoelectric cell. There is no stopping of the plates to perform the sensing function or even slowing down of the speed of travel of each plate to read the notch locations. Accordingly, by sensing the notch locations as ea-ch plate moves past the sensing station, the addressing machine of this invention is capable of very high speed operation and thus not subject to the limitations of the presently available machines wherein each plate must be halted to perform the sensing operation.

As previously discussed in the particular embodiment shown by way of example, each of the address plates has twenty-four possible locations for V-shaped notches along the longitudinal edge thereof. A plate having the entire twenty-four locations notched, in moving between the light source and the photoelectric cell, would send twentyfour pulses of light to the photoelectric cell, each pulse following the preceding one in point of time as the plate moves past the sensing station. A plate having one or any combination of notches at various positions along the edge thereof in passing between the light source and the photoelectric cell would permit light pulses to fall on the photoelectrc cell spaced in time in proportion to the distance that the respective notches are spaced from the leading edge of the plate which opens the shutter for the housing H. Since each notch along the edge of a plate will permit the same magnitude of light pulse to fall on the photcelectric cell, the various time spaced pulses must be distinguished by the extent of movement of the plate through the sensing station.

As previously described, the plates are individually removed from vthe stack in magazine 20 and pushed past the sensing station and on through the addressing machine by rails 25 and 26 carrying push pawls 27 thereon. Thus the movement of rail 25, for example, controls the movement of each plate through the sensing station.

The rail 25 extends rearwardly and has connected to the outer end thereof a member 135 having ends 136 bent at right angles thereto. A cable 137 is adjustably connected by threaded connectors 138 between the ends 136 with an intermediate portion of the cable encircling a knurled drum 139. A spring 140 is interposed between one end of the cable 137 and one of the threaded connectors 138 to maintain a uniform tension on the cable 137.

The knurled drum 139 is journaled on a hub 141 having an integral flange 142. The hub 141 and its flange 142 are in turn rotatably supported on a stub axle 143 which is suitably secured by appropriate members bolted to the main frame 1 to retain the axle with the axis thereof vertical. The lower end of the axle 143 is provided with an enlarged end 144 to retain the hub 141 and flange 142 on the vertical axle 143. The ange 142 carries an integral cylindrical portion 145 extending downwardly and eoncentrically to the axis of the vertical axle 143. A spring pressed retarding brake 146 is secured to the supporting members connected to the main frame 1 and engages the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 145 to retard rotation of the hub 141 on axle 143.

It will be readily appreciated that reciprocation of the rail 25 carrying the member 138 will impart through the cable 137 engaging drum 139 oscillation of the drum 139 upon the hub 141. The retarding brake 146 engaging the outer cylindrical surface of portion 145 serves to prevent the hube 141 and flange 142 from being rotated by friction between the drum 139 and these two parts.

As shown more clearly in Figure 6, the peripheral surface of the drum 139 is provided with a notch 150 to be alternately engaged by one of a pair of pawls 151 pivotally mounted on the upper surface of the ange 142 on pins 152 and urged into engagement with the surface of the drum 139 by springs 153. Forward movement of rail 25 causing counterclockwise rotation of the drum 139 as viewed in Figure 6, will result in the notch 150 being engaged by one of the pawls 151 to thus impart rotation to the hub 141, ange 142 and cylindrical portion 145. Likewise returning movement of the rail 25 effecting clockwise rotation of the drum 139 will result in the pawls 151 riding free of the notch 150, so that the hub, ange and cylindrical portion will not be rotated in the clockwise direction.

Keyed to the lower end of the cylindrical portion is a rotary switch 160. The axis of this rotary switch is aligned with the axis of the vertical axle 143 and is provided with a diagonal pin 161 engaging in diametrically opposite notches in the end of the cylindrical portion 145. The body of the switch is suitably mounted on the members secured to the frame 1.

The rotary switch carries a pair of radial contactors 162 secured to and insulated from the vertical switch axle which contactors extend from diametrically opposite sides of the switch axle. Arranged around the periphery in an 180 arc are 25 separately insulated contacts 163 to be engaged successively by the movable radial contactors 162. To preclude reverse rotation of the rotary switch a notched disc 164 is mounted on the axle 165 of the switch. A strip spring 166 mounted on the base of the switch engages the notched periphery of the disc 164 to prevent reverse rotation of the rotary switch.

A conducting ring 167 is mounted between the spring arms which form contactors 162. This ring carries a radial arm which connects with a contact mounted on the body of the rotary switch in the plane of the radially disposed contacts 163. The ring 167 through its connection with the contact on the body of the switch serves as the electrical lead-in for the contactors 162. Although a specific form of rotary switch has been illustrated, it will readily be appreciated that any suitable rotary multiposition switch may be substituted within the scope of this invention.

From the above-described structure it will be apparent that reciprocation of the push rail 25 to move the printing plates through the machine will effect through the cable 137 oscillation of the drum 139. This drum 139 through the ratchet and pawl connection provided by notch 150 and pawls 51 will effect intermittent rotation of the rotary switch 160 through the key drive of pin 161 engaging the notches in cylindrical portion 145. As each notch position of a plate moves between the photoelectric cell and the light source, the rotary switch 160 will be moved by reason of its connection with the push rail 25 so that one of the contactors 162 will successively engage the radial contacts 163 mounted around the periphery of the rotary switch. Thus in effect each contact 163 represents a different notch position on the printing plates. Since the rotary switch 160 is rotated 180 on each push rail reciprocation, two radial contactors are provided, one successively engaging contacts 163 on one 180 arc rotation and the other engaging the contacts on the succeeding arc of switch rotation.

Although in every case the positioning of the notches along the edge of each plate is read or sensed at the beginning of movement of the plate through the machine, the data conveyed by the notch locations may indicate that the particular plate should not be printed at any of the three printing stations. Likewise this information may indicate to the machine to separate the plate from those plates in the regular collecting rack R by sending the plate into the rack E. Thus, although each plate in passing through the printing machine is sensed at the same location, the notch locations along the edge of a plate may result in each plate being used differently throughout the travel of the plate through the machine. Accordingly, means must be provided for storing the data determined from the plate at the sensing station and effecting operation of the appropriate printing station or sations and/ or sorting mechanism when the plate reaches the location of such station or mechanism in its travel through the machine.

A delay mechanism 170 is mounted at the left side of the machine as shown in Figure 1. This mechanism has a shaft 171 extending therethrough with suitable gearing 172 interconnecting the inner end of the shaft with drive shaft 2 so that the former will rotate in the same direction as the latter. Thus the shaft 171 is rotated in timed relation to the main drive shaft 2 by the gearing 172.

The delay mechanism 170 is cylindrical in cross section as specifically shown in Figures 16 and 17 with the shaft 171 extending axially therethrough. The mechanism 170 is made up of four similar sections, one section for each of the three printing stations A, B and C, and the fourth section for the sorting mechanism used in separating plates into the collecting rack E. Each of the sections are substantially identical in operation and construction, and accordingly on the drawings the details of a single section, i. e. the outermost section which controls station A, have been shown on Figures 15 through 18. It will be understood that each of the other sections of the mechanism 170 are substantially identical to the section shown on these gures.

A cylindrical casing 175 encloses the four sections of the mechanism 170 and is provided 'at the outer end with a disc cover 176. A plurality of supporting rods 177 extend longitudinally immediately inside the casing 175 at spaced positions around the periphery of the casing and serve to support and properly position annular separating plates 178. The casing 175 and the supporting rods 177 carried thereby are suitably mounted on the main frame 1 by appropriate members bolting the parts to the frame.

The outer end of the rods 77 extend through the disc cover 176 and support inwardly thereof a disc 179 having a central bearing 180 which serves to rotatably support the outer end of the shaft 171. At spaced positions lalong the length of the shaft 171 four wheels 181 are secured to the shaft 171 so as to rotate therewith. These Wheels are positioned along the shaft at the location of the annular spacing plates 178 and serve to form the four sections of the delay mechanism 170.

Each wheel 181 carries six slidable pins 182 spaced around the periphery of the wheel with the axes thereof parallel to shaft 171 and equidistant from the axis of such shaft. These pins are provided with a pair of circumferential grooves 183. The outer periphery of each wheel 181 is formed with a V-shaped groove, the bottom of which intersects the bores which carry the pins 182. A spring 184 is positioned in this groove around the circumference of each wheel 181 and by engaging one or another of the grooves 183 on the pins 182 will retain such pins in the position to which they are moved by the appropriate actuating mechanism to be described..

In the outermost section, for example, a solenoid 185 is mounted on the plate 179 in the space between such plate and the outermost wheel 181 of the information storing mechanism. As shown most clearly in Figure 18, the solenoid 181 carries a pivotally mounted L-shaped lever 186, one end of which is connected to the armature 187 of the solenoid and retained in retracted position by spring 188. The other end of the lever 186 carries a pin actuating member 189 which in the normally retracted position of the lever lies parallel to the axis of the solenoid. The pin actuating member 189 is positioned by proper location of the solenoid on the plate 179 so as to be movable into engagement with the pins 182 mounted in the adjacent Wheel 181.

The energization of the solenoid 185 is controlled by data obtained from the notch locations on the plate edge at the sensing station of the machine. On energization of the solenoid 185 the lever 186 and member 189 carried thereby are moved into a position to actuate one of the pins 182 slidably mounted in the wheel 181. By such engagement, together with the continued rotation of the wheel 181 during machine operation, the pin 182 will be moved so that the opposite end thereof will extend from the other side of the wheel 181.

As shown more clearly in Figure 16, a pair of suitable switches 190 and 191 are mounted on the other side of the separating plate 178 with the switch arms 192 carrying rollers 193 positioned in the path of movement of the slidably mounted pins 182 on the wheel 181. Thus a pin moved by energization of the solenoid 185 to project from the opposite side of the wheel 181 will upon continued rotation of the wheel 181 successively engage the respective rollers 193 and close the switches 190 and 191. As will be described hereinafter, the switches 190 and 191 are appropriately connected with the actuating mechanisms of the machine to control the operation of such mechanisms in handling the printing plates.

As the wheel 181 continues to rotate with the shaft 171, the pin which was moved by the actuating member 189 and then in turn caused closing of the switches 190 and 191, will be carried around by the wheel and will engage a clearing plate 194 secured to the annular dividing plate 178 with the surface thereof lying in a plane diagonal to the surface of the wheel 181. The rotation of the wheel 181 carrying the pins 182 past the plate 194 results in those pins which project from the switch side of the wheel 181 being returned to the position where they project from the solenoid side of the wheel 181 in readiness for a subsequent actuation by energization of the solenoid 185.

From the above-described structure, it will be clear that the solenoid 185 which is representative of any of the solenoids mounted in the four sections of the mechanism will move a pin 182 upon energization to project from the opposite side of the wheel 181. The movement of this wheel is timed to the speed of operation of the machine by the gearing 172 which interconnects shaft 171 and the main drive shaft 2. Accordingly, as the plate which has been read at the sensing station is moved along the bed of the machine, the wheel 181 will rotate proportionately with the movement of the printing plate. Thus, when the plate reaches the proper location in the machine for printing or sorting, the actuated pin 182 will have moved to engage the first switch 190, and on continued movement of the printing plate, into engagement with the second switch 191. The function of these two switches will be described in detail hereinafter. As the machine continues to operate, with shaft 171 turning the wheels 181, the actuated pin 182 will eventually be cleared by engagement with the clearing plate 194 to return the pin in readiness for the next actuation by solenoid 185.

As previously noted, the outermost section of delay mechanism 170 illustrated in Figures 15 through 18 controls printing station A. The printing plates reach station A immediately after leaving the sensing station upon the next reciprocation of the push rail 25. Accordingly, the shortest delay is required for this station between sensing or reading the plate and printing at the station. Therefore the switches 190 and 191 are located closely adjacent the position of the pin actuating solenoid 185 and are closed successively by an actuated pin 182 upon only a small arc of rotation of wheel 181.

On the other hand, the printing stations B and C and the sorting mechanism require proportionately longer delays between sensing of the printing plate and printing or sorting at the station. Thus it will be understood that the switches and 191 in the sections of mechanism 170 which control printing stations B and C will be spaced from the actuating solenoid 185 proportionately to the distance that the plate must travel between sensing and printing at the respective station. With such greater spacing an actuated pin 182 will move through a greater arc after actuation before successively closing the switches 190 and 191 or, in the case of the fourth section controlling the sorting mechanism, the single switch 190.

As shown in Figure 1, the shaft 171 carries a wheel 195 having six fixed pins mounted at equally spaced radial positions around the periphery thereof. These pins, upon rotation of the wheel 195 successively actuate an ejecting mechanism which insures that every printing plate which reaches this extreme point in travel through the machine will be ejected into the rack E designed to receive the plates of those addressees whose subscriptions are expiring or to be terminated.

A similar wheel 196 is secured to the shaft 171 above the collecting rack R. This wheel, however, carries six slidably mounted pins 197 at equally spaced radial positions around the periphery thereof. These pins normally extend from the right side of the wheel 196 as shown in Figure 1, but may be actuated by a solenoid 200 engaging an actuating spring lever 199 to extend from the left hand side of the wheel 196. Rotation of the wheel 196 results in the actuated pin being returned to its normal position of extending from the right side of the wheel by engagement with a clearing cam 198. The pins 197 in their normal position successively engage an ejecting mechanism which effects ejection of each plate at this point of travel in the machine into the collecting rack R which receives the plates of the addressees Whose subscriptions are to continue. However, a plate which is to be moved into the collecting rack E as determined by reading the notch locations at the sensing station, must pass beneath the ejecting mechanism for the collecting rack R over to the ejecting mechanism for the collecting rack E. To obtain this result the solenoid 200 will be energized at the proper time to effect through lever 199 movement of the proper pin 197 to extend from the left side of the wheel 196. When this pin location moves to the point where it would normally engage the ejecting mechanism, while the plate has moved through the machine toward the collecting rack, the actuated pin 197 will be out of position to engage the ejecting mechanism, the ejecting mechanism will not be actuated, and the plate will continue along the bed of the machine to be engaged by the second ejecting mechanism to send this plate into the collecting rack E.

Figure 19 of the drawings generally illustrates a schematic diagram of the interconnection between the various parts of the apparatus. In an endeavor to simplify the illustration of the circuits connecting the elements of the machine, the showing of Figure 19 has been illustrated in its simplest possible form, substituting electromechanical relays for the more desirable electronic circuits. This showing has been done solely for simplification of the description of the machine, and it will be readily understood that in high-speed operation of such a printing machine the time lag and relatively slow actuating speed of electromechanical relays would make their use impractical. As the description of Figure 19 proceeds, reference will be made to the various electronic circuits which for a high-speed machine would be used in place of the more slow-acting relays illustrated for purposes of description on Figure 19.

Referring specifically to Figure 19, the light source L directs rays of light upwardly past the path of movement of the printing plate P so as to be interrupted by the edge of the plate. A detecting photoelectric cell 201 is mounted above the path of movement of the address plates P. Thus as the edge of the address plate passes between the light source L and photo tube 201, the notches along the edge of the plate will permit light pulses to fall on the photo tube. These light pulses create in the photoelectric cell electric surges which are suitably amplified by an amplifier 202. The amplified output from amplifier 202 is applied to a keying circuit illustrated in the form of an electromechanical relay 203 so that as each light pulse falls on the photoelectric cell the relay 203 will be closed. The contacts of the relays 203 are connected into the output circuit of an oscillator 204 to enable coupling of the oscillator output to the rotary switch 160. y

In operation of the address printing machine each plate passes between the light source L and the photoelectric cell at a relatively high speed. Thus the pulses of light that are received by the photoelectric cell arerelatively small and close together. Obviously, at higher speeds of operation these light pulses come very quickly, since the plate naturally has a faster speed of movement through the machine. Thus, although a simple electromechanical relay such as shown might be effective where the pulses are spaced far enough to allow for the mechanical time lag in operating such a relay, such a relay would not be entirely satisfactory for high-speed operation. Accordingly, the keying relay 203 would be replaced by a suitable electronic keying circuit which would be capable of the high-speed operation necessary when the light pulses are transmitted to the photoelectric cell at closely spaced intervals. Such electronic keying circuits are old and well-known in the art for their action as an electronic switch which closes a circuit when a control voltage is applied and returns the circuit to normal when the control voltage is removed. This type of circuit would enable the output of the oscillator 204 to be coupled to the rotary switch even at high speeds of operation of the address printing machine. Thus such a keying circuit would accurately transmit high frequency pulses from the oscillator 204 under control of and timed with the light pulses received by the photoelectric cell as a plate speedily moves between the light source and cell.

As previously discussed, four distinct operations may be performed by the specific embodiment of the printing machine illustrated controlled by the notch locations along the edge of each plate. To enable flexibility in connecting the sensing means with the four possible operations, a separate selector board is provided for each printing station A, B and C and for the sorting mechanism actuated to collect the plates in the expired rack E.

Each selector board contains three rows of twentyfive separate jack receiving plugs. Each of the plugs 205 in the first row is electrically connected to a respective one of the twenty-five contacts 163 on the rotary switch 160. The twenty-five plugs 206 in the second row are electrically interconnected and likewise each of the plugs 207 in the third row are electrically interconnected. As will become more apparent from the description which follows, the first row of plugs 205 may be utilized by plugging in one end of a jumper 208 and connecting the other end to one of the plugs in the second or third row. Such a jumper will thus connect one of the contacts 163 on the rotary switch 160 to the second or third rows of plugs as may be desired for the purpose to be described hereinafter.

Connected to the rows of plugs 206 and 207 for each selector board is an electrical circuit which, as will be explained, is coupled to the solenoids 185 in one of the sections of the delay mechanism 170. Since the four selector boards, the electric circuit coupling the board to a section of the mechanism and the various sections of the mechanism 170 are substantially identical, a description of only one of the coupling circuits will be given.

In the embodiment shown, the plugs 206 and 207 are connected to relay coils 210 and 211, respectively, of electromechanical trigger relay 209 shown in place of the faster acting electronic trigger or flip-flop circuits. The relay coil 211 when energized will effect movement of the pivoted contactor 212 to engage contact 214. Thus the relay coils 210 and 211 will alternately effect opening and closing of the relay acting as a trigger or fiip-flop circuit by pivoting the contactor 212 back and forth between the pin 213 and contact 214. The contactor 212 when engaged with contact 214 partially closes the circuit to the solenoid in one section of the delay mechanism 170. On Figure 19 a suitable power source such as a battery 215 is illustrated to provide energizing power erronea i7 for the solenoids 185 in the delay mechanism 170. It will be readily appreciated that the battery 215 is shown merely by way of example and that any suitable power source may be used in performing the desired operation.

An electromechanical relay 209 has been illustrated for partially controlling the circuit to each solenoid 185 merely by way of example. As in the case of the relay 203, under high-speed operation of the address printing machine the relay 209 would have too great a time lag and accordingly would be undesirable in this respect in the present structure. In place of the relay 209 an electronic trigger or ilip-ilop circuit would preferably be used. This electronic circuit is in the nature of a locking or holding electronic switch as distinguished from the keying circuit used at 203. Thus in a trigger circuit the circuit remains closed or positive after the initiating control pulse despite the removal of the control voltage until a second releasing pulse is received causing the output circuit to open or become negative. Such an electronic trigger circuit would be connected in place of each relay 209 so that a pulse from oscillator 204 through rotary switch 160 if sent through a plug 206 into the electronic relay would cause the output thereof to be neutral or negative in sign, while a pulse received through a plug 207 would cause the output to be positive. This flip-flop electron tube circuit is extensively used in electronic computors, and as substituted for such relays 209 would, as in the case of two-position contactor 212, carry the sum total of pulses received at the circuit output thereof after all the pulses for a plate had been received by passage of the plate past the detecting photoelectric cell 201. In the operation of the sensing means of this invention, each printing plate is read as it moves through the sensing station. Thus the pulses created by the notches along the edge of a plate are received in spaced time relation during passage of the plate by the sensing station. The solenoids 185 for controlling the operation to be performed, i. e. either printing or sorting, should not be actuated until the plate has completely passed the sensing station and the sum total of all of the notch locations have been conveyed to the relay 209 or electronic trigger circuit substituted therefor. After the plate has passed the sensing location, the circuit to the solenoid 185 should be closed, coupling or impressing the nal status of the relay 209 into the solenoid circuit. To finally close the circuit to the solenoid 185 after a plate has moved through the sensing station, a relay 220 is interposed between relay 209 and solenoid 185 and controlled by a trigger switch TS mounted adjacent the push rail 25. A pin 221 mounted on the rail 25 engages the actuating lever for the switch TS on the forward movement of the push rail 25 to close this switch energizing the relay 220 and connecting the trigger relay 209 to the solenoid 185 in the delay mechanism 170. It will be noted that the relay 220 carries separate contactors 222 on its armature which complete the circuit between each relay 209 and its respective solenoid 185 in the delay mechanism 170. The actuation of the trigger switch TS upon complete forward movement of the push rail 25 insures that the relay 220 is energized after a printing plate has been pushed completely through the sensing station. Thus the contactors 222 are not closed until the sum total of the plate notches have passed between the light source and detecting photoelectric cell to set the trigger relay 209 or electronic trigger circuit for energization or non-energization of the solenoids in the mechanism 170.

The relay 220 also has a contactor 223 mounted on the armature thereof so as to close a holding circuit for the relay through a resistance 224, reset switch RS and back to the power source 215. The reset switch RS is mounted so as to be engaged by the pin 221 carried by rail 25 upon the complete return movement of the rail. This switch in the embodiment shown contains a pair of normally closed contacts which set up the circuit for the holding of the relay 220 upon energization of such relay and clos'- ing of the contacts 223. The resistance 224 serves to reduce the current necessary to initially actuate the relay upon closure of the trigger switch TS.

By means of the holding circuit set up by closing contactor 223 it will be seen that the contactors 222 maintain the circuits to the solenoids in the mechanism closed during the return movement of the push rail 25. Upon completion of this return movement the pin 221 engages the actuating lever of the reset switch RS opening the holding circuit for the relay 220 and closing a second circuit to the coil of reset relay 225. This momentary energization of the reset relay 225 by switch RS effects closing of contactors 226 carried on the armature of the relay 225 to close a circuit between the output of the oscillator 204 and the relay coils 210 of relays 209. Thus the coils 210 of each of the relays 209 are momentarily energized to reset the relays by moving the pivoted contactor 212 out of engagement with contact 214. This reset operation places the machine in readiness for reading the next printing plate to be pushed through the sensing station by the push rails 25 and 26 and pawls 27 carried thereby.

lt will be appreciated that the reset switch RS momentarily closes the circuit to the reset relay 225 and returns to its normal position of partially closing the holding circuit for the relay 220. However, the momentary break of the holding circuit by opening reset switch RS deenergizes relay 220 so that the contactor 223 of the relay 220 further opens the holding circuit.

Although the specific structure shown and described with regard to the output coupling and reset of the relays 209 to apply the proper current to energize the solenoids in the mechanism 17 0 has been shown as comprising various electrically operated relays, it will be readily understood to those skilled in the art that upon substitution of electronic trigger or flip-dop circuits as mentioned above for the relays 209, the switches TS and RS would properly be connected so as to couple the electronic relay to impress the current on the solenoids in mechanism 170 and to reset the electronic trigger circuit by properly applying a cancelling voltage or interrupting such circuit.

The operation of the above elements set forth with reference to Figure 19 may be generally described with reference to a particular operation of the overall machine. Prior to placing the machine in operation the four selector boards will be connected up by using the desired number of jumpers 208 to set up the machine so as to handle the printing plates in the desired manner. It will readily be recognized that each of the separate plug boards will control the operation of a printing station or sorting of the plates after passage through the machine. Thus for example, the connections of jumpers 208 on the selector board for station A will determine in the linal outcome which plates passing through the machine are to be printed at this station. As previously noted, in the illustrated embodiment each printing plate has twenty-four possible positions for V-shaped notches along the longitudinal edge thereof. Since the plugs 207 are connected to the relay coil 211 which operates relay 209 to partially close the circuit to the solenoid in mechanism 170, these plugs when connected to the plugs in the first row of the selector board for station A by jumpers 208 will dictate that the plate be printed by station A when it reaches this printing station. Likewise the plugs 206 connected to the cancelling or opening coil 210 of relay 209 when connected to the plugs in the rst row of the selector board for station A will dictate that the plate should not be printed at printing station A.

By proper connection of the desired plugs on the selector board by use of jumpers 208, any desired operation `for a particular address plate may be set up on the machine. Thus, for example, referring to the printing head A, if it be desired that every plate having a notch in the first position be printed, `a jumper 208 will be connected between the second plug in the rst row on the selector board `for station A and the corresponding plug in the third row on such selector board. Then after the machine is started and the printing plates are fed successively past the sensing station, every plate having a notch in the rst position will send a light pulse to the photoelectric cell as the notch passes between the light source and the cell. This pulse amplified by amplifier 202 will close the -relay 203 sending the oscillating current from oscillator 204 to the rotary switch 160 and its contactor 162, which will have moved under control of the .push rail 25 to engage the second contact 163 on the rotary switch. The oscillating current will thus flow on through to the selector board for printing station A through the jumper 208 to the plug 207 and thence to the'relay 209 through contactor 212 and contact 214. When the address plate pushed by the pawls 27 on rails 25 and 26 passes beyond the sensing station, the pin 221 mounted on rail 25 will close the trigger switch TS energizing the relay 220. The contractor 222 moved by relay `220 will complete the circuit to the solenoid 185 in the delay mechanism 170 to actuate the pin 182 mounted in the wheel 181.

The pin 182, after being moved to extend from the switch side of wheel 181 by solenoid 185 will be carried upon continued rotation of shaft 171 into engagement with the switch 190 as the printing plate which was read reaches a point below platen S for station A.

In the example 4given above, a single jumper 208 was used to connect the 4second plugs in the first and third rows of the selector board for printing station A. Thus it will be seen that every address plate which contains a notch in the first position will -be printed at head A under this hookup. Likewise the presence of additional notches or plates having notches other than at the first position will not be printed, since the light pulse to the photoelectric cell created by notches other than in the rst position, although they will actuate the relay 203, will not effect actuation of the relay 209, since jumpers do not connect any of the remaining twenty-four plugs in the first row with plugs in either of the other two rows.

=It will be noted that twenty-tive contacts 163 for the switch 160 have been disclosed in the specific embodiment of this invention. The address plates designed for use with this machine have only twenty-four possible notch locations. In view of the fact that it may be desirable to print or not to print all plates which do not have notches along their edges, the shutter mechanism in the housing H is constructed to be operated Vby the trigger 130 so that a pulse of light will be received by the photoelectric cell immediately preceding the movement of the leading corner of the address plate into the path of the light source directed toward the photoelectric cell. With this construction, the first contact 163 on the rotary switch 160 is used yas an initial plug on the selector boards so that a jumper connecting the first plug of the first row with the third row will set the machine to print at station A, for example, every plate passing through the machine which does not have any notches along the edge thereof.

In the example above a single jumper 208 has been used in connecting up a selector board. It follows therefrom that any number of jumpers may be used in connecting up the respective plugs in row one of a board with a plug in either of the other two rows. The connections formed by way of the jumpers S determine during operation of the machine the printing plates which will be printed at the station controlled by the particular board. Thus where several jumpers are used, the rst may by its connection direct that all plates having a notch in the first position shall lbe printed at station A, while a later jumper may direct that all of the plates having a notch in the forth position shall not be printed. By such a connection all address plates having a rst position notch will fbe printed. If such plates also have a fourth position notch they will not be printed. The existence of any other notches at other positions on the plates will have no effect on the printing at this particular station in the absence of jumpers connecting up other plugs on the board.

Although the disclosure has been directed more specically to the printing station A, it will be readily recognized that the plug board for printing stations B and C and for sorting out the expiring address plates will be operative in a substantially identical manner, the basic difference being that each of the selector boards eventu- -ally determines the actuation of a separate one of the solenoids 185 in the delay mechanism 170.

By reason of the holding circuit for relay 220, the contactors 222 will maintain the solenoids 185 energized for the period of return movement of the push rail 25. When the rail completes its return movement, the reset switch RS opens the holding circuits and deenergizes the relay 220 and thus the solenoids 185. By maintaining the solenoids 185 energized for this period, the pins 182 carried by wheels 181 will be rotated to be moved into engagement with the actuating member 189 .and pushed axially through the wheel 181. Thus it is not necessary to utilize a solenoid .at 1815 which has power enough to effect -axial movement of pins 182 on energization. Instead the |actuating member 189 is moved into position after which the pin 182 carried by rotating wheel 181 sweeps into engagement with the member 189.

The timing of the various operations at each printing station will now be described as basically controlled by the switches 190 and 191 in the delay mechanism 170. In printing, feeding and cutting iat the station A, the closing of switch 90 to -actuate a latching relay (not shown) energizes the solenoid 56 to drive the platen 50 at printing station A downwardly and effect printing on the material 60.

When the machine is operating without printing the plates passing the station, the solenoid 80 is continuously energized to prevent the knurled roller from engaging the material 60 and effecting forward feed of such material. However, when the switch 190 is closed to energize the -latching relay, a pair of contacts on such latching relay open the circuit to the solenoid 80, and the alternatively closed switch 83 controls the circuit for energizing the solenoid. Therefore, as the high porti-on of the cam 82 maintains the switch 83 closed, the solenoid 80 will be energized, lifting the knurled roller from engagement with the material 60. This period of energization of solenoid continues during the entire return movement of the carriage 64. When the low portion of the cam 82 permits the switch 83 to open, the solenoid 80 is deenergized so that the knurled roller 75 engages the material 60. This deenergization continues duri-ng the forward movement of the carriage 64 to effect feed of the material 60 and is timed by the relationship of the 'cam 82 to the other linkages of the machine so as to effect feed immediately after printing platen 50 at station A has been energized by the switch 190 closing the latching relay.

At the end of the full forward feed of the material 60, the cut-olf knife 85 is actuated to cut off a three-inch portion of the strip material to form a 3 x 5 card and deposit such card in the container 87. Outwardly of the gear section 14 on shaft 11, a disc 235 having a cam projection 236 is secured to such shaft. The disc 235 and projection 236 oscillate with the shaft 11 to engage the actuating arm of a switch 237. The position of the projection 236 is so related to the shaft 11 that such projection will engage the actuating lever of the switch 237 and close the switch when the carriage 64 has completed the forward feed of the material 60. Closing of the switch 237 completes the circuit partially closed by the latching relay energized by closing switch to energize the solenoid 238 which actuates the cutting knife 85 through the lever 86. Subsequent to these three operations, the pin 182 closes the switch 191 which unlatches the latching relay 

